Customer Reviews

Shiva Rea: Fluid Power - Vinyasa Flow Yoga

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is my favorite of all Shiva's DVD's, I continue to be astonished at each new offering she brings ~ there seems to be no end to the creative inspiration!

There are 20 segments here, enough to challenge us all, 6 pre-set practices, some 30-40 minutes and the longest being 108 minutes, this one may be a problem for the time constrained but it is a thorough, liberating workout. I know many people will criticize this DVD as being too difficult for beginners just as they did with Yoga Shakti but Shiva clearly states in the booklet that came with the set that there are many yoga DVDs out there for beginners so she made this one for beginner-advanced to more intermediate practitioners. In this particular situation, I would say "beginner-advanced" does not mean someone who has dragged their yoga mat to class a couple of times a week for a year but instead someone who has had a devoted, daily or at least several times weekly yoga practice for at least a year. Some of the arm balances and knee workouts are intense so I would recommend healthy knees and some upper body strength for the intermediate pre-set practices called "Backbend Flow", "Hip Opening Flow" and "Creative Flow". The only criticism I would bring to this workout DVD is that some of these sequences are rather complex and full of new material that most of us have never tried in a yoga pose and so may be a little confusing to some people ~ therefore I would recommend that you watch first before trying them. (This is really a minor gripe and not enough to take away a star)

A few of these sequences can be found on the Yoga Trance Dance DVD and the Creative Core Abs DVD but don't worry, they blend beautifully and there is plenty of new stuff here to keep us all interested.

Thank you again, Shiva for all you do to make our lives rich and beautiful

I already have this DVD for 2 months (bought it from Acacia)and I love it , I use it regularly along with her "yoga shakti" . This style of yoga is a little more creative and fluid than "yoga shakti" (hence the name) but it's definitely more "normal" yoga unlike "yoga trance dance" . On this DVD you also have lots to choose from , it has 6 preset practices :

Backbend Flow - 108 min (a tough one!)

Hip Openers Flow - 77 min

Creative Flow - 63 min

Beginning Flow - 43 min

Lunar Flow for Flexilibity - 41 min

Meditative Flow - 25 min

all of these practices are made from 20 segments you can choose from "Matrix" such as 7 new sun salutations (no traditional boring salutations!) standing pose flow , 2 great backbend flows and a long hip opening flow which I really love and includes some great stretches , some I've nver seen before ,there's also a handstand , a core segment (that is also on her "creative core abs") and opening and closing meditations, the bonus disc includes some interviews and some tips for practicing.

If you have wrist problems this DVD might not be for you since there are a lot of planks /side planks and pushups otherwise go get this DVD!

From a DVD quality stand point this video is tough to beat. The camera work is beautiful, the locations are great, and the yoga is top notch. Shiva found a way to actually improve upon the Yoga Matrix (i.e. you can choose specific yogic segments and practice them in any order you want). This is a bigger, more stylistic, and better put together DVD than Yoga Shakti. However, bigger is not always better. I am not a dancer and I only wanted to practice yoga. Shiva Rea has some dance and some martial arts aspects to almost all of the practice routines (hence fluid power), that puts me off a little bit. I tried to get into it, but just couldn't. That is why I am not going to trash Shiva's DVD, because it is very nice, but just not my taste. If you want to try something that offers a very different take on yoga, then this DVD is a 5 star production. If you don't think you will like the dance elements of this DVD then you may want to try her previous DVD Yoga Shakti.

I have to tell you, I have tried about every yoga DVD out there. From Baron Baptiste, to Bryan Kest & David Swenson. I've done them all, and I'm a yoga teacher. So I just had to do a review of Shiva's new DVD. It's just simply the BEST. Not only is it what I consider "true" yoga, but it's also an amazing workout. I'll sweat a little with other power yoga DVDs, but with Fluid Power by Shiva, the sweat pours off of me down onto my mat!! She keeps you constantly moving, and gets your heartrate in your target zone. So, it's yoga and cardio all in one!! In fact, I was so impressed with the sweat I was producing, I wore my heartrate monitor to see how many calories I was burning. Compared with other power yoga DVDs, that only burn about 200 calories an hour, Fluid Power had me burning 300. That's quite a big difference.

The other things to love about this DVD are the fact that the flows are so beautifully done. You will move all around your mat in a circular fashion, doing lots of downward dogs, chatarungas & updogs. Depending on the flow, you'll throw in some warriors, yogic squats, lunges, side angles & triangles too. It's really a comprehensive program. And the fact that it comes with several pre-programmed sessions is great, but you can create your own with the yoga matrix. That's what I love to do, so I can match my practice to my mood.

You've got to buy this!!! (I love Shiva's Yoga Shakti too, but this one is even better in my humble opinion.)

Namaste, & Happy Yoga to you.

I had this brought down to Jamaica at the same time as "Yoga Shakti" and I made no mistake there. It continues the spirit of that DVD, with some wonderful additions.

The whole concept of adding of circular and fluid wave motion took each vinyasa to a whole new level. The sometimes abstract flow was a delightful departure from normal asana movement and i was thrilled at how easily I could release the creativity I have within. I haven't done every sequence combination yet, but already I'm a huge fan of the Mandala Namaskar, the Dancing Warrior and the Mandala variation of Upward Bow (PLEASE, PLEASE, approach these poses with gentle respect for your limitations...these will fall away with precious time)

Ooooh, one thing i preferred with "Fluid Power" over "Yoga Shakti" was that in the Yoga Matrix (like the best DVD feature EVER!)you can navigate back and forth, up AND down - with "Yoga Shakti", I could only go back and forth, which was a little frustrating at times)

Very challenging sequences at times, like the handstand practice, which I'm new to, but see as a great guide as I evolve.

This DVD, even more than "Yoga Shakti", is NOT for the neophyte - Shiva explains this in the attached handout (priceless for customising your practice) and again in the introduction Shiva exhorts you to watch the flows at least once through before you "dive in". Much Sanskrit is used for pose names and the Backbending sequences are quite challenging, from "the splits" to Natarajasana or 'cosmic dancer'. I'm someone who gets bored easily, but i don't think it's possible with this DVD, what with the level of focus needed and the vast possibility of practice combinations, limited only by you, the practitioner.

A beautiful, thoroughly enjoyable way to develop a home practice.

Another "gift" from Shiva.

Wonderful stuff, I can't wait to see what else Shiva develops

I've been doing Hatha yoga since I was a child, Kundalini yoga for the past 13 years or so...recently I had been feeling ambivalent or somewhat bored by the same yoga forms and teachers I had loved for years and it seemed like my body wanted to move in some new way. But I want whatever I do physically to be a holistic system, something to help me to continue my inner journey and spiritual journey as well and this DVD has been an absolute Godsend, a source of pure bliss.

I would describe this as a symbiosis of hatha forms with Kundalini movement, in a way, but it's certainly something very unique. This specific DVD is all about fluidity; within our bodies, within our Universe, the connection between the two and linking them through a beautiful fluidity of movement. This is vinyasa yoga, no doubt, but it is not like any other vinyasa flow I have ever seen. There is great emphasis on side plank positions and extended movements in downward facing dog, so arm and core strength are building all the time. As it says on the cover, this is for advanced beginners and intermediate students. However, I found there were modifications to be found throughout, making this safe and approachable even after a lengthy break from yoga.

Let me speak to the criticisms I have seen. As to the issue of her cueing and people being frustrated trying to follow her; you need to watch ANY yoga set before you do it but with her work, yes, there is an element of free form at times, and sometimes the audio isn't perfectly synced with the timing of her movement but that is never the focus of my yoga practice. The idea isn't to mimick and match someone else's moves, and since every set is essentially a few moves repeated I don't see why it's such a big deal if the camera is on a musician or landscape at some points. Eventually, you aren't watching the screen anymore anyway, which I think is actually a shame because it is visually stunning. I also found that the only set where I saw these issues coming up at all was during the Foundational Vinyasa, but there are many other sets and that literally seems to be to be the only one with these challenges. But again, watching first and proceeding slowly, and listening, were enough to get me beyond that to enjoy the flow of the class.

I've also found the matrix menu setup to be fantastic, and while I did notice that you can't skip through chapters once they are playing, why do you need that feature when you are pre-programming your own class? If you don't want a section to be played, program your class without it. You can rewind or fast forward, just no chapter skipping. I've not found this to be an issue because of the matrix programming option.

If yoga is something you do primarily for buns of steel, this will not be a DVD for you. Other teachers I love offer things suitable for casual practitioners (and serious students alike), such as Bryan Kest. And actually Bryan does offer a wonderful blend of physical and inner work but with a different tone and a more linear external approach. But if you are someone looking for a deeper experience, something different or are at a yogic plateau after years of hatha practice you will enjoy this.

The music is wonderful, the scenery and photography are stunning, I love Shiva's soothing but grounded voice, and I very much enjoy the spiral meditation and mantra meditation on here. My personal favorite class/flow is the backbend pre-set, which goes by so quickly and by the end I'd gone deeper into my body than I can ever recall and experienced the kind of physical yumminess you get when you have that fabulous all-over stretch first thing in the morning. I was smiling, having so much fun exploring favorite yoga moves in new ways and my body, mind and spirit were in pure bliss all the way through.

I think fellow Kundalini yogis and yoginis will enjoy this very much, and hatha practitioners who enjoy a less rigid form will as well. I could see this being a bit of a button pusher for someone who wants very exacting, step by step guidance...Shiva gives you the framework with astonishing clarity, I think, but also allows you and your body the freedom to explore within that framework. A few years ago, I would have hated this, I wanted the exacting detail...now, I welcome the grace and fludity here. It feels like freedom.

While all great teachers impart something unique and beautiful to yoga by virtue of how they alone embody it, Shiva Rea is called to do something radical for the evolution of yoga.

Fluid Power captures, more than any of her other DVDs, what her work seems to really be about, which is, dissolving all moldy or rigid conceptions about yoga, and flowing with and rebirthing it anew each moment.

There are many subtle yet powerful evolutions in this DVD compared to previous ones. Working with spirals and free movement, sacred chanting and OMing through the body, Kalari-based (Kalarippayattu, an ancient Indian martial art) movements, and helping us to comprehend and revere the miracle of the body, as in the Fluid Systems meditation.

There is a strong focus on Fluidity, regeneration, and creativity. The DVD shares some miracles about how our bodies function, helping us to understand why movement and breath are so integral to health. (EG: Our vascular system is 50 thousand miles long and could be wrapped around the Earth 2.5 times. And except for the heart, the only pump for our fluid-filled body is that of movement.)

Shiva's energy and strength are so formidable, I find I often prefer a slower or more static pace, to calm and balance the high flowing circular energy. A nice yin practice, or a traditional linear practice, help to keep a nice balance.

Two interviews on the bonus disc are not to be missed: Sally Kempton and Daniel Odier.

Shiva gets better and better. My only complaint about this DVD is that there is no shoulderstand sequence, but there are so many wonderful other sequences, who cares? Don't expect a traditional ashtanga-based class, this DVD charts new territory and allows you to focus your practice on specific themes of energy flow, body awareness, etc. The cinematography IS lovely, but you can't see it alot of the time because you will be facing away from the TV. To overcome this, I sometimes indulge myself by sitting back and watching the DVD while eating some cantalope, so as to fully appreciate (and better understand) what Shiva has given us.

I was drawn to this DVD, but afraid of the word "Power" in the title. What drew me in was reviewing a clip of Shiva's introduction about our fluid natures, the tides of our breath, the rhythmic approach of the practices, and particularly her promise that the sequences are therapeutic for circulating synovial fluid through the joints and spine.

"Synovial" was the pivotal word for me. Joint health is a concern of mine, as are releasing stress and undoing the damage of sitting over a computer all day. While you can undisputedly stretch, strengthen and release with the traditional schools of yoga, I thought this unusual approach - away from static holds - might very well facilitate a lubrication of the joints.

To my delight, performing these fluid movements delivers Shiva's promise. It takes your yoga and literally pumps it through you. The program is beautifully filmed, with colorful delights to take our minds into the practice - orange glowing sunlight, azure blue skies, white sands, dusk reflecting on the desert. There is an amazing segment where Shiva performs a vinyasa practice while "standing" on the water - how did they do it? Shiva's voice is soothing, and the music brings your practice into the realm of auditory pleasure. In fact I will play the DVD in the "music only" mode while doing household chores for a mood enhancer.

Innovative core strengthening sections are incorporated to assist with gaining strength for harder poses. Some moves involve rolling from side to side on the floor like a kid, or reclining on the mat and waving your bent knees in the air as you are invited to return to the womb and swim in amniotic fluid. There is a nice variety of moving prana - it's so much nicer to be physically moving while breathing, which encourages deeper expansion and release, than sitting on a pillow and forcing yourself to breath in a resting pose.

I would not recommend this practice for very new beginners or people with physical problems. That said, I find great benefit from it despite joint problems and my own bad back - but I have a good foundation in yoga and know my limitations. I'll never be able to perform the full backbend flow but this DVD has so much material I can use, the balance of usable outweighs the overly challenging (for me).

You have to have an open mind or a playful spirit to enjoy this offering from Shiva Rea. Dancers, swimmers and beach people will most likely embrace it; playful and creative people, check it out. Traditionalists, Fluid Power is not for you. I embrace the innovation and snub my nose at the office desk, e-mails, rules and regulations every time I indulge in this DVD, like dipping into a yogic box of Godiva chocolates, and savor every moment.

My one complaint for which I'd take off half a star - during the Savasana, there is a loud reed instrument playing which should have been dubbed down. It detracts from a perfect ending.

I don't want to focus on other reviews too much for my own review, but I did read some and noticed a consensus by some of the negatives that there was too much dance and not enough yoga, or that it might not even be able to be properly called yoga. I personally love this DVD. As someone who is healthy and very fit, working out regularly with yoga and running, I find that after doing Yoga Shakti for a while, my heart rate doesn't get as high as I would like, though I still love that DVD. I sought out the sequences in the matrix that I would like from this DVD by viewing each one and making a comparison of what I wanted versus what I didn't; I have since fallen into a regular matrix that is a GREAT workout with many yoga or yoga-like moves, and more arm and back strengthening. As someone who has done yoga for years, I can't complain when a "revolutionary" or "evolutionary" approach comes out; I want to continue to use varied, yet healthful and safe, workouts.

I would recommend this DVD to anyone who has much strength and yoga experience to find the flows that work for you and enjoy a renewed muscular and cardiac workout.